Today in History: Metropolitan Opera House

Today in History–October 22–the Library of Congress features New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, which opened its doors on this day in 1883. In addition to staging operas, the Met and other opera houses also hosted charity events, community dances, fairs, plays, vaudeville shows, and even funerals. Find out more about this prestigious cultural institution by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources related to the Met and opera. Be sure not to miss this Library treasure, The Victrola Book of the Opera (Adobe Flash® required), an interactive digital book that describes 110 operas and allows you to listen to nearly every recording referenced in the book!